Dave Litfin's Aqueduct handicapping notebook for April 19

Friday, April 18 review

No one was able to lead throughout in seven races on the main track, although four winners were up close (within one length of the lead) at the first call. As was the case Thursday, the surface was quick and played considerably faster than par.

With the temporary rails at 0 last week, off-the-pace horses dominated on the turf, with five of six winners rallying from the rear-half of the field and one other stalking from mid-pack. Speed has fared much better in four races with the rails at 9 feet this week, with three of the winners going wire to wire, including Goodtolook (7th, $5.10) and Dendrite (9th, $8.50) on this program. The latter, hitherto 0 for 25, is a maiden no more after taking his 5-year-old bow for “Computer” Carlos Martin.

Gary Contessa’s two winners on the day, Goodtoluck (turf) and Station Chief (dirt), are by the versatile sire Disco Rico.

In two-horse races, it never ceases to amaze how bettors can go totally overboard on one of them. That was the case in the opener, a $35,000 maiden claimer that looked like a coin-flip between Againsome ($11.20) and Howl, a couple of well-connected droppers from maiden special weights who had been off the board most recently. For whatever reason, Howl was pounded to odds-on, and he was outdueled by Againsome, a 2-1 chance on the morning line who was avoided like the plague. Howl was claimed, as was third finisher Cee No More, but no one forked over the $35,000 for Againsome, a 3-year-old Awesome Again colt who sold for $400,000 as a yearling.

It’s a good thing Miss Da Point (2nd, $3.40) was three days the best in her New York-bred optional claiming mile, as she was shuffled out of position and forced to loop the field en route to her fifth win from seven starts since Dec. 5. She spotted weight, too.

Bruce Brown’s productive meet (4-6-1 from 20 starters) continued when 6-year-old Piscesbymoonlight ($13) finally cleared the preliminary statebred condition. Beyond Empire completed an all-Empire Maker exacta worth $65.50.

HORSES TO WATCH

FREUDEX
Trainer: Chris Englehart
Last race: April 18, 3rd
Finish: 2nd by 1 ½
Beyer: N/A

First-time starter lagged well off a contested pace, came widest into the stretch, and was along late to complete the exacta behind the 4-5 favorite going 5 1/2 furlongs; acts as though some added ground would suit.

Saturday, April 19 preview

Three races in the pick six sequence are scheduled for turf, beginning with the lead-off leg, race 4, at 2:53 p.m. Eastern. Oghma, a horse to watch out of a tough trip in the mud March 29, was reclaimed that day by Gary Gullo, who reacquired the gelding at the first opportunity. Oghma goes back to the grass, and it’s worth noting his initial attempt on this course was a wide trip from post 11 last Nov. 15, and that was also the last time he raced without Lasix.

The other two grass races are divisions of a maiden special weight for New York-breds that book-end the $250,000 guaranteed late pick four as races 6 and 9.

Point Roll looks like a standout in race 6 based on his debut against open company at Gulfstream Park, when third behind odds-on Market Outlook, and Siete C, who returned last week to win by better than four lengths.

The second division appears wide open, especially since there is no clear pacesetter among those in the main body. Wake Up and Go could fill that role, and might indeed go favored, if able to draw in from the also-eligibles.

La Verdad, who has won her last six races at six furlongs by nearly 30 lengths, gets her sternest test thus far in the Grade 2 Distaff (race 8), and will be under the gun from the rail, with early pressure expected to come from Munnings Sister and Bridgehampton.

The Distaff features the return of four-time graded stakes winner Kauai Katie, who drew favorably toward the outside. The sleeper could be Miss d’Oro, who ran second in last year’s Distaff, but makes her first start since a fourth in the Vagrancy 11 months ago.